Alumni Focus - Katherine Mitzner ('17)

For the past several years, our Gala photographer has been Katherine Mitzner, owner of MitznerK Photography. Now teaching high school business courses, Katherine reflects on the experiences at SCLA that helped shape her: building resilience, independence, and a lifelong appreciation for the arts. We also join her in celebrating a recent milestone: earning a Master of Arts in Teaching from Bethel University.

What are some of your favorite memories from your time at SCLA?

One of my favorite memories while at St. Croix was working on the homecoming banner after school in the art room during freshman year. Our class won that year. 

Were there any teachers or staff who had a big impact on you?

Mr. Boehm had the biggest impact on me as a student. I still use him as an example now that I am a teacher as well. 

What lessons—academic or personal—did you carry with you after graduation?

Lessons I carried with me after graduation are to always ask for what you need. I remember someone in high school telling me, "The worst thing they can say is no”. I've used that a lot in life and have gotten to participate in some pretty cool opportunities because of it. 

How did your experience at St. Croix shape who you are today?

St. Croix helped instill my independence and resilience. I'm not afraid to take on big tasks or projects. 

What path did you take after graduating? How did your goals evolve over time?

After graduating, I was originally studying business. I have a bachelor's degree in business and never intended to teach (even though all my teachers thought I would be one). I subbed for a while until I landed at a school that did not want to let me go. That same week, at church, we started a series about Jonah. The first words out of the pastor's mouth were, "When are you going to stop running from your purpose?" I took a permanent job the next day and am happily teaching high school business courses. 

Tell us about your recent achievement of your Master’s degree.

I graduated alongside Quinn Longueville (also an SCLA Alumni, class of 2017) with a Master of Arts in Teaching Degree from Bethel University. Quinn and I were the first in the program's history at Bethel to do a partner thesis. We knew we would work well together because we have known each other since 9th grade and have worked on many projects together. The entire time, we reminded each other to "be an ant" and pick up one grain of sand at a time to complete our degree together.